The invention is particularly designed for use in the medical field and more particularly for use in the field of detecting hemodynamic pressure.
Prior to the invention it has been customary to measure hemodynamic pressure by connecting a conduit from a blood vessel in a living being to the pressure sensitive wall of a tranducer. The result is that the transducer detects the blood pressure waves. In order to obtain the required sterile conditions, it is necessary to sterilize all surfaces in contact with the fluid connection to the blood system and it is also necessary that such surfaces be of a material which will not introduce objectionable elements to the blood system. Where the fluid containment structure includes the wall of the transducer, so that the fluid contacts the transducer, the transducer must be sterilized after each use. Also it is difficult to make a suitable fluid-tight connection between the conduit and the transducer. Attempts have been made to construct the fluid containment system separate from the transducer and have a diaphragm wall of the fluid containment structure positioned for contact with the transducer wall. This approach would solve the noted problems, but it has not been successful because it has been found that the blood pressure wave is not faithfully transmitted through the diaphragm to the transducer reliably, unless the space between the diaphragm wall and the transducer wall be filled with liquid.